Heat's Out
by Yecart
Summary: The heat is out in Kate's apartment and a snow storm is on its way. Who's going to take her in from the cold? How awkward will it get? - very.
1. Too Cold

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

It was cold. That was the first thing to run through Kate's mind as the haze of sleep removed itself and she was aware of her surroundings. When she had arrived back home for the weekend after having a long week at the precinct she was ready to pass out for two days straight. She looked towards the nightstand. It read, 11:23pm. What? She'd been in bed an hour and a half, she was exhausted, why did she wake up?

She shivered, and became aware once more of the cold. It reminded her of the freezer from last year. It had been horrible, and she hadn't been able to be in the cold without thinking back to that moment when she realised the situation was helpless. Then of course she had Castle and things didn't seem as bad because they were in it together.

Castle...

She couldn't possibly wake him after the week they'd had, he was just as exhausted as she was. It was cold in her apartment but God knows it was freezing outside, there was a snow storm starting when she had first left the precinct, it would be far too dangerous to worry him into coming over. Even then, what would she expect him to do? Clearly the heat was out in her building, there isn't anything Castle could do about that. Though she is certain he would say that he 'knew a guy'.

It would be impossible to interrupt Lanie as she an Esposito were starting to work things out, and she had no doubt that he was at Lanie's place tonight.

This is when she realises her building was unusually quiet when she had arrived home, she still took in all these things from a couple of hours ago but it had taken until now for her to really make the connection.

The complex was silent. The hall lights were dimmed. There had been a notice downstairs on the board that she hadn't bothered to read even though it was entitled 'Important'. The dread set in, the letter from her landlord that had been slipped under the door at the start of the week. She had finally picked up off the floor that morning but hadn't opened yet.

Quickly putting on some socks and donning her bathrobe she set out towards her kitchen in search of the letter. She hoped it wasn't what she imagined it would reveal and yet at the same time she knew and sighed as she opened the letter that would reveal her fate.

The letter read:

_Dear Tenant, _

_Due to unfortunate weather circumstances and late maintenance the central heating system will be turned off between 28th - 8th, but with any luck should be working again by the middle of the week depending on the problem. I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience and ask that you find an alternative to the building before the expected snow storm this weekend, or live like an Eskimo for the week. I do not wish to be accountable for any cases of hypothermia so consider yourself forewarned of the aforementioned possibility of demise should you remain in the building sans heat. If you can get back to me regarding where you will be staying during this time with your contact information I will be able to let you know when things have been resolved._

_Regards, _

_Jerry. _

"Oh God" Kate whispered to herself.

What was she to do? She had left it too late to pack a bag and head off to stay with her Dad. She'd never make it in the storm that was brewing outside. She couldn't bother Lanie, and the precinct was no place to get snowed in on her time off.

Just when she was considering building an insulation fort her phone rang. She gingerly went back into her bedroom picking up the phone and crawling under the covers.

"Beckett," she answered.

"Kate? Are you alright?" Castle asked her frantically.

"Umm, yeah I'm fine Castle, what's wrong?"

"Well, your landlord called me not long ago to double check that you'd gotten a message from him, said he hadn't heard back from you?" he questioned.

Kate groaned, now Castle was going to find out how stupid she had been. "Did he tell you what it was about? How does my landlord even know you?"

"Noooo, but I can tell your upset, what's wrong? Oh and I made friends with the guy in case I ever needed to rescue you."

"Oh Castle, I've been such an idiot, it didn't even dawn on me until I woke up freezing my ass off!" she told him frantically. "I don't see what you'd be rescuing me from exactly," she added as an afterthought.

"What didn't dawn on you? Are you okay Kate? Why are you freezing? Oh God, your landlord! There's something wrong with the building isn't there? This is exactly why I need to have the okay to break down the door! What if you'd been too exhausted to wake up and you got hypothermia!"

"I left the letter on the bench all week because we were so busy with the case and I didn't have a chance to go through my mail. I woke up ten minutes ago because it is freezing in here and then I remembered how quiet it was and the notice on the notice board that I didn't read and the letter from the landlord. I didn't realise it would be something this serious! Had I known I could have planned to be out of here," she sighed miserably, teeth chattering.

"So nobody is in your building except you?" He asked incredulously.

"That would be correct. I already feel like an idiot so no need to gloat mister," Kate said sternly. She could hear muffled sounds and Castle breathing. She wondered if he thought this was funny.

"Kate, you need to pack a bag and put on your warmest clothes. Can you do that for me?" he asked her seriously.

"I'm not going anywhere in this weather Castle, as cold as I am it does not look safe out there," her teeth chattered.

"You are correct that the weather is bad, but if you stay there Kate and you get snowed in you'll freeze to death! Not to mention I'm sure you have nothing edible to even keep you alive. I have a fire place here and a warm bed, you'd have my company. Come on, say yes," he pleads.

"Castle, I wasn't saying no, it's just, I don't see a logical way of making it to your place alive. There is too much snow on the road for a car and the roads aren't going to be cleared in this storm that's starting. I have no way of getting to you," she told him miserably but matter of fact.

"I'll come and rescue you my damsel in distress," he cried dramatically.

Kate rolled her eyes. "You'll do no such thing Richard Alexander Castle! It is far too dangerous in this weather and you'd freeze trying to get here," she told him sternly.

"I have a snow mobile with a scoop on the front," he told her excitedly. "The storm hasn't fully picked up yet, I could be there and back in less than half an hour if we are quick," he tells her seriously. "Just pack that bag, get dressed for the snow and I'll be there soon," he hangs up.

Kate was annoyed at first that he had hung up on her, but understood he didn't want to waste precious time. Then it occurred to her, why would anyone have a snowmobile in New York?

Instead of questioning Rick Castle she unlocked her door and hurriedly got her things together, shivering madly as she went. Then put on a beanie and the warmest jacket she could find. She didn't have any water resistant type snow clothing because she never went out in the snow, she was certainly ill prepared to be riding a snowmobile that was for sure.

Just as she was putting on some gloves and fiddling with her scarf Castle burst through the door, shivering as she had been not long ago.

"Kate! Good, you're alive," he pants as if he'd just run all the way here.

"That was fast Castle," she smiled warmly at him. "Thanks for coming to get me," she told him shyly; embarrassed by the whole situation.

"Not a problem, there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I certainly wouldn't leave you to freeze in here, not after...well I'm sure you understand," he smiles at her.

"Yeah..," Kate leaves his sentence unfinished.

"Don't you have anything warmer?" He asked her puzzled.

"I don't usually go out in the snow and it has certainly never been bad enough for me to have to brave it to survive," she huffed.

"It's okay, it shouldn't take long to get back to the loft where it's nice and warm and safe," he was still in panic mode. "Plus," he added. "My jacket is massive and when Alexis and I were last on the snowmobile she was frightened she'd fall off and she fit inside it with me!" he smiled at the memory.

Kate chuckled and shook her head, "Let's go writer monkey."

Castle stored Kate's duffle bag under the seat of the snow mobile that was parked up on the empty side walk; even the street was pretty much deserted. Everyone was inside out of the way of the massive storm that was starting to really fire up, for lack of a better term. He rushed back up the stairs and into the lobby where Kate had waited for him.

"Okay, this is how this is going to work," Castle explained. "Put my snow jacket over your shoulders when we get on the snowmobile but don't put your hands in the sleeves. When I sit in front of you, help me put my arms in the sleeves and then snuggle up as close as you possibly can to me, like we are one person. I should be able to then zip everything up in the front. You should be protected from the elements, my back will be nice and warm from your body heat and we should get back to my place in one piece," he theorised.

Kate wasn't entirely sure that this plan was 100% fool proof but she had no choice and she was lucky he cared enough to even come and get her considering how exhausted they both were when they had left the precinct to go to their respective homes.

"Okay, let's go Castle," Kate commits herself to the idea.

Castle grabbed Kate's hand and rushed down towards the snowmobile helping her with the jacket and once she was situated comfortably he got in front and like he had planned she helped him into the jacket. It was snug, but warm and entirely too intimate. However, it was necessary because she would freeze without it. Already her legs were frozen and Castle's weren't really much better. He'd thought that they would beat the storm, but it had definitely picked up to the point that he could barely see. It was dark of course, and almost midnight.

They struggled the whole way to get around debris and areas that were too deep in snow to plough through. It took what felt like forever and Kate could feel Castle shivering but knew he was determined. They got to the loft and there was enough snow to get them into the underground car park. Castle sat up straight on the bike and took off his goggles and started unzipping the jacket.

"Soooo Cooollld," his teeth chattered as he spoke.

Kate didn't have the energy to reply and couldn't even move, her legs frozen and in pain.

"We-e Ha-have to, to get in-inside," he told her, gingerly moving himself off the snowmobile only to take Kate with him who was still holding on to him for dear life.

He hadn't felt her grip on him, he was so numb from the cold and she was on the brink of passing out. They steadied each other trying to stand without being able to feel anything.

Finally Kate spoke "I think we are in trouble, Rick," she sounded frightened.

"It's alright; we're going to make it. We just have to get warmed up as quickly as we can," he murmured whilst hugging her tightly and trying to warm her up.

"Okay," she whispered. "We can do this."

They made their way over to the Elevator and Castle pressed the button to get them to the top floor. They stumbled into the loft shivering and out of breath.

"Dad, Kate!" Alexis yelled and came rushing to their aid. "You guys are lucky you made it back the weather channel says two people were found trapped in a car! I thought it was you," she cried hugging them. "You're freezing," she exclaimed stepping back and finally getting a good look at them. "You have to get in the shower right now," she told them seriously.

They looked at each but Kate was too weak and too cold to care that Castle's daughter wanted them in a shower, together, probably naked. Castle was slightly more mobile then Kate and helped her take off her jacket and boots along with his own. He helped her up off the floor by the door groaning as his muscles ached from the cold. Kate was too exhausted to form a sentence so she hoped her eyes portrayed the gratitude she felt.

After basically carrying Kate into his bathroom where steam was bellowing out the door and Alexis was shouting instructions Castle promised he would take care of everything and asked Alexis to stay outside and find something for Kate to sleep in, they had left her bag in the snowmobile and it was safer for everyone to just stay inside the loft. Kate was in no position to argue as she appeared to be asleep against Castle's frozen form.

"Kate? You have to stay awake, come on!" he moved to sit her down on the closed toilet seat and lifted her head with his hands to get her to make some eye contact.

"So cold," was all she could manage to tell him.

"Just stay with me Kate, we have to get in the shower so we can get warm or we are going to go into shock, okay? I umm, well we're going to have to go commando on this one," he said gently looking straight at her and the look she saw made everything feel better. He didn't want to have to do this, to invade her privacy, but he wasn't going to let her freeze.

"It's okay," she murmured. "Has to be done," she sounded dopey.

"Alright. Let me help you okay? I promise I won't look," he told her, making no jokes.

"I trust you," Kate whispered as he stood her up and helped her out of her pants, sitting her back down on the closed lid.

When she could no longer feel his touch she opened her eyes to see him undressing in front of her. He didn't seem to mind that she was blatantly staring at his nakedness, as he said nothing and didn't even tease. She blushed when she finally made eye contact with him and turned her face away.

"Hey, it's okay," he tells her. "I never said you couldn't look, I just promised I wouldn't look," he was focusing hard at keeping eye contact instead of gawking at her legs.

She smiled shyly and lifted her arms up, an invitation for him to remove the rest of her clothing. When they were both undressed she looked up towards Castle to see what he would do next. It was awkward to look anywhere else considering he was standing and she was sitting and his whole package was pretty much eye level.

She had openly perused his body before as he had undressed, the steam from the shower warming her into consciousness. He was remarkably buff for a writer and from what she could garner rather well endowed. However, now that she was focused back at his face she could see the reason nothing was happening. He was standing there with his eyes squeezed shut.

Kate would find it highly amusing if it weren't for the fact that she was probably going into shock from the freezing cold they had just escaped from in inappropriate clothing.

"Is everything okay in there?" Alexis asked tentatively at the door. It must be awkward for the poor girl, Kate thought as she realised just how intimate things had gotten; and she had thought the sharing of a snow jacket was intimate.

Poor Castle was trying to be a gentleman when she knew how he felt about her, the tight control he was attempting made her sorry for him so she decided to take a leap in the direction she wanted and that she knew he wanted as well.

"Fair is fair, Castle," she murmured.

As if shocked out of his silent trance he opened his eyes to see her. She stood up but faltered and he had to quickly grab her to stop her from falling.

"Still not quite with it," she told him, quietly embarrassed that their bodies were making contact, they were naked and in each other's arms, it should be totally awkward but Castle seemed almost comfortable now that he was holding her. He still didn't really get to see her body now that they were so close, but Kate wasn't in enough control to be an exhibitionist.

He didn't waste time moving them under the warm stream of water in the shower. Muscles ached as the hot water hit them with stark contrast to the chill in their bones.

After fifteen minutes of standing under the hot stream with Kate in his arms, Rick became more aware of his surroundings and his state of undress. He was warm now, felt normal apart from his exhaustion. His body was awake even if his mind was tired. Not to mention certain other parts of his anatomy were starting perk up.

Kate was comfortable now, resting in his arms, feeling warm again and not so helpless. She could feel that once they started to relax into the embrace she could stand on her own; the contact just a novelty. She assumed that if she was this lucid that Castle must be even better in fact she could 'feel' that he was back to his old self. She didn't blame him; they were in a fairly sexually charged situation. Naked, touching, wet. There was never going to be a good way of stepping out gracefully.

They slowly moved back so that they could look at each other. Eyes focused at each other's faces out of respect for each other and the position they were in.

"Better?" Castle asked her, still genuinely concerned that she'd need medical assistance.

"Much," she tells him. "We seriously might not have made it back here Rick," She says and then rests her forehead against his chest.

He holds her close, "yeah, it was a close call tonight. I couldn't have left you at your apartment though Kate. I wouldn't have been able to sleep knowing you were all cold and alone," he whispered gently.

"Thank you. Not, ... not just for coming and 'rescuing' me but for not making light of this situation; not making it awkward". She hesitated with how she worded her sentence.

"I am trying pretty hard," he quipped.

The reference to 'hard' wasn't lost on Kate but she was no prude. "I can tell," came her muffled reply from his chest.

The rumbling laugh that he emitted after her comment was infectious and Kate joined him in the moment. Before making eye contact with him and smiling. She hadn't smiled like this in a long time. It was like that with Rick. When they weren't Beckett and Castle but just Kate and Rick; man and woman, spending time with each other. When the cases were out of the way they still had chemistry and things in common. It would be so easy.

Kate was so lost in his eyes with all these thoughts that the moment was quickly getting away from her. Castle wasn't one for sudden moves but they both new that it was up to her. Kate's smile faltered and she looked down. Castle brought his face closer to hers but only went as far as to rest his forehead against hers, their noses slowly rubbing. Kate found herself thinking it was really quite erotic, the control that they had over so much energy between them, because he loves her. She knew all of this. If she was truthful and not so utterly terrified she would admit that she loved him too. He knew the moment she freaked out and wasn't going to push it because she was enough.

This was really quite a big step for them in every regard. So Kate decides that she can trust him enough to know that he won't push. She steps back from their embrace.

"Thank you," she tells him again and then takes a risk and stands on her tippy toes and gently kisses him. It isn't a passionate kiss, but it is filled with everything she struggles to tell him. Just like that, he seems to understand that it isn't the time to take her against the wall of the shower; even though he is a little aroused. It's a promise that they will get there.

She then steps out of shower her hand lingering down his arm as she moves away reaching for a towel not bothering with modesty. He can look all he wants.

She hears him turning off the shower and stepping out behind her to reach for the other towel. She can't see their reflections in his mirror but she knows they must look much better than they did when they had first arrived and Alexis was so worried.

They stepped out into his bedroom where Alexis had left Kate one of her father's plaid shirts that was long enough to wear as a nightgown and some panties. Castle watches as she removes her towel and slips his shirt over her head whilst standing at the foot of his bed. She starts undoing the buttons down the front and he openly admires her body, deciding that she is allowing him to look.

He throws his towel back through the door of the bathroom and walks over next to Kate to get his boxers, slipping them on and then walking over to his drawers searching for a T-shirt.

"Don't," he hears a small voice.

He turns towards her from his dresser to see what the problem is, raising his eyebrows. She is now fully dressed in the clothing Alexis left.

She Blushes but doesn't turn away. "It's easier to share body heat without clothing between us," he raises his eyebrows higher. Kate expects to sleep with him?

She continues, "We need to keep warm and I'm feeling sentimental and, ... and well, I kind of need you at the moment," she makes eye contact with him again.

He sees now how frightened she was that they weren't going to make it back to the loft, she'd been back in that dark place where she thought the cold would take her. He walks slowly over to her pushing his hands past his dangling shirt and resting them on her hips, above her panties.

"Everything is going to be okay, we're alright, and I kind of like that we are a bit touchy feely," he smiles. "Not to mention we are and have been kind of naked, I always enjoy that," he kisses her cheek playfully.

Before she can banter back at him there is a knock at the door. "Dad, Kate? Can I come in?" Alexis asks.

Castle see's the panicked look on Kate's face and talks to his daughter over her shoulder whilst he quickly does up all the buttons she had undone. She is relieved he is so good at it and that it has escaped Alexis's notice.

"I made you both some soup, I'll leave a plate for you both on the counter," she yawns, "night."

"Night Pumpkin."

"Night Lex," they tell her. It is almost 1:30am. Soup does sound quite nice though. Castle takes her hand and leads her out into the loft's kitchen where as Alexis had said was soup waiting for them.

"Alexis is a treasure Rick," Kate tells him whilst she eats her soup.

He smiles, "I know."


	2. Warm Now

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

After finishing the soup that Alexis had left out for both of them there was an awkward silence. So much had happened in the last few hours that Kate barely knew where to begin in her mental review of the situation. She knew she was feeling vulnerable, but she trusted Rick. Almost half an hour ago she was ready to share his bed and her body heat with him to keep them warm. That wasn't something she would usually offer.

Would it be weird now after the momentum of the evening had finally slowed down? It was hard to get a read on Rick, every time she attempted to give him the once over in his shirtless clad body he would look over and she would be forced to feign disinterest and go back to her soup. Though she could always tell when he was staring, it became more and more apparent that sitting on a breakfast bar stool in only his shirt and panties gave Rick more than enough to look at.

If she wasn't feeling so attracted to him at this moment she would be pleased that he was entirely more interested in her than in his soup. She was losing it.

She yawns suddenly, overcome by the events that had transpired and lack of sleep.

"You're exhausted," Rick's smooth voice interrupts her ragged thoughts.

"Hell of a day," she looks over at him and can't help but give him a small smile.

"I think we'll sleep through tomorrow, after all it's been almost two nights now that you haven't slept," he tells her worriedly and she notes the '_we'_.

"How do you know I didn't sleep last night? I went home," she retorts.

"I can tell when you haven't slept Kate," he tells her matter of fact.

Kate blushes. Of course he can tell. He sees everything when it comes to her. It really isn't a surprise that he would recognise when she had become weary.

"Of course you can," she replies quietly "you always know exactly how I'm feeling, when to bring me coffee, when to back off, when to not let go," she makes eye contact with him slowly.

"I'd never let go, at least, not entirely," he tells her, "I think that scares you, but I'll wait until you're not afraid anymore, okay?" He makes it sound simple.

"I'm too tired to have this conversation right now Rick, I'm sorry," she holds her head in her hands.

"It's fine," he replies quickly. Too quickly, Kate sees the disappointment behind his understanding.

"Really, I want to have this conversation with you, honestly. There is no way we can avoid it now. I'd just like to have a clear head when we do, you know? I want to give this one hundred percent," he can tell she is being serious.

"Okay, tomorrow. We'll leave it until tomorrow," he agrees.

Kate is relieved that he understands that she is not running and that she just needs some time and some rest.

"I won't run away Rick; it's time we talked, really talked. I think after this evening it would be hard to turn around and say I haven't admired your nakedness," she smirks playfully.

Rick raises an eyebrow wondering how his Kate could turn the awkwardness that would usually engulf them into sexy banter. It was almost as though she was fairly comfortable in their state of undress, confident even.

He watches her to see what her next move will be, terrified of scaring her away. She gets off the stool and walks past him towards the bedroom stopping just before the threshold.

"You coming?" she asks him innocently like it's no big deal, a regular occurrence.

"Not at the moment," he replies smirking at her.

For moment he thinks he may have pushed her too far as he watches her eyes widen and a blush rise up her neck. She bites her lip and he can tell from the humour making her eyes sparkle that she has a retort but is holding it back.

"Say it," he says, smirk still firmly in place, eyes dancing.

She rolls her eyes but can't resist. "Would you like to?" She cringes at how wanton and unlike her a reply like that actually is, but is relieved to see the sparkle in his eyes. He gets up and makes his way over to her by the door and her heart beat quickens, unsure of what his actions will be.

He gets close and sees that she is unsure, nervous even. So he takes her hand in his and rubs small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.

"With you, Kate? Always," he tells her looking straight into her eyes and then his eyes leave hers and travel down her body and back up again suggestively.

He tugs her hand with him through the door and closes it behind them. He sits her on the edge of the bed closest to his bathroom.

"Wait here and I'll find you a toothbrush," he tells her, she just nods.

He comes back out of the bathroom thirty seconds later one brush in his mouth and another still in its packaging for her. She follows him in and borrows some tooth paste before starting her own cleaning ritual. Rick spits and rinses and leaves her to it.

She notices that her hair is now dry and feels much better after having brushed her teeth. After taking one final look in the mirror she turns off the light and makes her way back out into Rick's bedroom.

He is sitting where he had originally sat her down on the end of the bed closest to the bathroom, waiting for her. He watches as she approaches rubbing her eyes and yawning, until she stops right in front of him. He attributes this forwardness to her being severely sleep deprived and not in control of all her faculties.

"So, ah, which side do you want?" he asks the first thing that pops into his head.

"The middle," she replies without thinking.

Rick smiles, "guess we'll just have to share it then," he says reasonably but slightly shakily.

"I thought perhaps you'd forgotten your promise to keep me warm. I suppose I shouldn't assume," but Rick quickly cuts her off.

"Hey! No, I want to cuddle with you!" he exclaims like a child whose favourite stuffed animal has been taken away.

She raises her eyebrows at his terrified outburst, prompting him to try and explain.

"What I mean is, I want to stay warm in here with you, hold you, I just wasn't sure what you were thinking. I mean, I was so cold before that I could barely think, and when Alexis pushed us in here to shower I just did what I was told and you didn't seem to mind so much and well then we were naked and you were all wet and, God. This isn't what I want to say!" his words were escaping him.

Kate took pity on his embarrassment and went for a light retort, "Don't tell me the great Richard Castle is all a fumble because he has seen a woman naked? It's not like you haven't seen one before," she chided.

"But...You mean, this," he gestures between them pointing out their minimalist clothing, "doesn't bother you?" He looks almost beside himself and Kate would find it much more amusing if she wasn't actually feeling some of the same trepidation herself.

"Well, if being completely naked and in your arms in the shower didn't bother me it would be a strange thing indeed for this to be more awkward," she tells him reasonably. "Though, if it is such a problem we can go with my suggestion from before, I mean, it isn't easy to share body heat if you can't have skin to skin contact," she tells him as she unbuttons the front of his shirt that she is wearing.

He follows the dip between her breasts down her stomach watching as she exposes her torso, without really showing anything. He knows logically that he has seen her naked but it was only briefly and he was more concerned with her wellbeing at the time than her magnificent body.

It crosses his mind now that she is just messing with him like she usually does but her face is really quite serious. He decides to humour her and stands up moving as close as he can.

Without heels she is a couple of inches shorter so he looks down into her eyes, "I'm glad that you're okay with this then, because I really like it," he swoops down and kisses her on the forehead.

"Such a gentleman," Kate leans in on her tippy toes and whispers in his ear, feeling bold.

They have full body contact now and she can feel his whole body against her. His hands still on her hips, she drags her hands down his chest as she lands back down on her feet, leaving them just above the waistband of his boxers.

Biting her lip she looks back up at him, "like the conversation that I really, really want to have, this should probably also wait until tomorrow," she tell him, but sees that he expected as much.

She enjoys surprising him so she adds, "But God Rick, if I had the energy...," she steps back and takes in his body purposefully, "you'd know about it".

His breathing is heavy; he cannot believe the things that Kate is saying to him; implying that she wants him, badly. May be they did die out there in the snow storm and this is all just some fantasy.

She watches all the emotions play out on his face and can see the confusion. She cuddles up to him like it is something she has done for years.

"Let's just go to bed and not over think this, okay?" she tells him.

"Okay," he smiles at her. He wants to kiss her so badly, but he knows they need to talk and that if they got started even though they were exhausted they'd never stop.

"Good. I've always wondered what it would be like to just cuddle with you," she tells him secretively.

"I am so glad to hear that you are a cuddler," he tells her playfully, "especially the unconscious kind because I think that is where we are headed tonight," his eyes have that sparkle again.

They crawl up the bed, him second because it wouldn't be right to deny seeing her crawl in her panties up the bed. She lays back and watches him crawl up next to her, more like over her. He looks into her eyes and slowly moves his weight to rest slightly on top of her.

She once again raises her eyebrow in question of his actions. He leans in close to her face in an Eskimo style kiss.

"Well, I figure just in case you really have lost it after being out in the cold too long that we should at least indulge in one moment that we both want but keep holding back from. We can always just blame it on exhaustion later, but at least we'll have that moment," he tells her seriously.

She can't begin to explain to herself how much love she feels for this man. He is giving her an out, saying it would be okay to have that one kiss full of promise that doesn't have to be a promise. She knew already that the talk she wanted to have with him involved them trying to have a relationship, why hold back from him? The playboy just wants to cuddle, just wants one kiss to remember her by so that when she pushes him away he isn't left with nothing. She feels terrible that he thinks she could do that to him after everything.

Her silence is deafening even though it has only been less than thirty seconds, he starts to close his eyes from the pain of being rejected, by pushing too far. When out of nowhere she pushes up into him and claims his mouth with her own.

It is a knock down drag out kiss that leaves them both breathless. It is erotic in that they are almost naked, Kate's breasts pushed up into his chest, bodies completely tangled in each other. For a second kiss, one that wasn't a rouse, it was amazing.

As their breathing settled Kate let go of his face moved away and put her hands behind her head still breathing quickly. He rolled to the side and rested his elbow on the bed so he could turn and look at her. She missed the weight of his body and their romantic embrace already. Was shocked by how quickly it became so passionate.

They waited may be five seconds before looking at each other and then pouncing once again, unable to resist the magnetic forces between them. This time hands explored each other and Kate rolled them over so she was lying on top of him. The kiss that started out so passionately started to lose its momentum as the kissing became more languid.

Kate broke away from his lips on a sigh, "I like kissing you," she tells him tiredly resting her chin on his chest, watching his face.

"I think we've kissed each other to sleep," he mumbles back.

"If you ever tell anyone that I made out with you until I passed out I'll kiss you until you faint," she threatens and giggles.

"Wow, you really are exhausted," he reaches up and checks her temperature.

"Hmmm, but I'm definitely not cold anymore," she smirks and rolls off of him so she can lie next to him and focus on breathing again.

He turns his head to watch her and admires her breasts, his shirt lying open; exposing them to his view, her chest still heaving slightly.

"It looks good on you," he tells her.

She snorts, "I might just keep it then," she reaches to start doing up the buttons to cover herself.

"Don't," he repeats her words from earlier moving his own hand over hers to still her movements.

She turns her head on the pillow to make eye contact with him, still holding his hand. He watches her bite her lip, and can tell she is thinking. She suddenly sits up and starts arranging the bed covers over them, and then turns to face him as she slips his shirt off her shoulders and throws it towards the end of the bed leaving them equally bare.

She scoots down into the bed and he swiftly throws the covers over her and nestles as close as possible. Every inch of their bodies was touching and he could feel her pebbled nipples against his own bare chest. Even though he wasn't sure about what Kate was thinking about the whole situation, he took their undress to be a positive sign. They were definitely both aroused, just, too tired to go there.

Just as he was slipping into unconsciousness he feels her lips against his neck and suddenly realises that being here with Kate in his bed half naked with no sex was the single most erotic experience of his life.

2:30 in the morning and they are finally asleep, warm and content. Nothing could touch them; they were alive and well, and together. They could worry about their future together in the morning.


	3. What Now?

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

Rick awoke to the light that had entered his room. He could see from the window that the snow was still falling and briefly wondered how it could snow so much. He couldn't believe even half as much that Kate was snuggled up next him. Wearing only panties he recalls.

They'd of course had a rough night; it was well into the morning when they had finally escaped into the beyond. He quickly turns his head to view his clock, it was almost noon. At least they had gotten more than eight hours, a record he was sure; for Kate.

She still slept soundly and he didn't want to wake her. In fact, to be honest he was a little unsure of how she would react this morning. She'd been so different last night. So carefree and confident in her body; she _had _openly let him admire her body. Oh, and they did make out. Surely that was more than just a lapse in judgement.

At least, he hoped it was. Even if she decides to run from this it doesn't change things, not in his mind. She may have been free of inhibition last night but she didn't do anything that she didn't want to do.

He expects that they will have a conversation about everything, mainly because there is nowhere for Kate to hide. She couldn't leave with the weather as bad as it is. She would have to deal with this head on. This is either going to be a good thing or a bad thing, he considers the former because the latter ought not to be thought of. How could they be in the same house and be distant after last night?

He supposes that he shouldn't panic, Kate was very tired, but she wasn't drunk. Even if it felt like it, she had control; it was more like she just didn't have the energy to hide from him.

During all his contemplation Rick failed to notice that Kate was awake and watching him. Kate was very aware of what had happened the night before and was equally shocked by how things had turned out. She had achieved something that she never thought she would achieve. She felt comfortable with him, safe, warm, _loved. _Not only had she felt these things, but she allowed it, acknowledged it. Surely he can see it now that she lost all control and basically jumped on him. She knew that if she were in her right mind that she would be mortified but as it was she couldn't get the stupid grin off her face.

"Hey," Rick suddenly notices her.

"Hi," she replies quietly.

"So,...good morning," was all he could come up with.

Kate blushes, "Morning," she answers.

"It looks like it's still pretty bad out there," he points out unnecessarily.

"No cabs to be had out there?" Kate cheekily replies.

They had repositioned themselves to be facing each other resting their elbows on the bed and their heads in their hands.

"Oh. _That, _that right there was a Castle-ism," Rick beams at her.

"Because it was so lame but the situation totally asked for it?" Kate beams back moving closer.

"Exactly right detective, you are switched on this morning!" he shoots back at her.

"Hmm, may be you're just rubbing off on me," she tells him without thinking.

"Well...," he smiles at her deviantly, leaving the sentence unfinished for her benefit.

Kate clears her throat, "We seem to be lacking a lot of clothing," she points out making sure to cover herself fully with the blankets.

"You don't remember?" Rick asks worriedly.

"Oh, no, I remember perfectly. I just can't understand when that became normal for us," she smirks at him.

Rick released the breath he had been holding. Sexy Kate was still in the house. Perhaps she really is relaxed around him.

"I believe it was when we took a shower yesterday after having almost freezed to death," he points out rightly.

"Ah yes. Thank you for rescuing me, I guess I should be thrilled that I have my own knight in shining ski gear," she retorts.

"Your own? Do I detect a hint of ownership there Kate?" he raises his eyebrows and she rolls her eyes at him.

"I hardly think we would be in such an intimate position this morning if there were another damsel," she eyes him pointedly.

"You're right, then I therefore must belong to you, I don't want any other damsels," he smiles as though he is being playful, but she sees the truth in his words.

"Oh God," Kate face palms herself as though she just remembered something highly embarrassing. He hopes it isn't their make out session.

"What? What is it?" he questions.

"Alexis. Before, yesterday, last night," she quickly spits out.

"What about her?" he remains ignorant of her mortification.

"She was here when we got up to the apartment, I remember I was so cold and she was the one who told you to get us in the shower for warmth!" she points out

"So..." he asks.

"So! So Alexis probably thinks; something!" Kate finishes borderline hysterical. Rick wants to take her seriously, but it is bordering on impossible when she is sitting up in his bed all doe eyed basically naked, but hey, free show.

Kate stares at him like he is an idiot before realising that he isn't looking at her face. She blushes and covers herself, looking away embarrassed.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. Alexis didn't see us naked or anything, she knew how serious the situation was and she directed me as to what would keep us alive, you were barely conscious I'm surprised you remember that part. I did ask you before we got undressed if it was alright and you did agree," he assures her hurriedly. "You're beautiful."

Kate blushes more profusely, "I know all of this but it doesn't make me feel any less embarrassed! All your family, hell, everyone thinks the only barrier between us is clothes and now, now we don't even have that!" she is starting to panic.

"Why do we need a barrier?" Rick asks.

"You remember last night, what happens when we get close! I feel like everyone watches us so closely, it's bad enough that you get all the media attention but to feel this watched is insane!" Rick can hear that she is upset.

"So you're worried about what other people think, of this?" he speculates.

"Not just other people, not really, I worry about what Alexis will think. She knows that we showered together, saw us in our underwear, and by now probably knows we slept in here together," Kate tells him quietly.

"You don't have to worry about what Alexis thinks," he tries to reassure her but doesn't sound completely convincing considering he doesn't really know what Alexis thinks about this particular situation.

"I don't want her to think we're sleeping together," Kate finally admits the crux of the issue. "Sleeping with you would make me the same as every other woman Alexis has seen you bring through here!"

"Why wouldn't you want people to know if we were in a relationship?" he questions defensively, and she can tell he doesn't understand. "And you are not the same as any other woman Kate Beckett, Alexis knows that, and aside from Meredith and Gina you are the only woman that has slept over here."

"I didn't say 'people', I said _Alexis, _and I never said relationship I implied sex," she corrects him.

"Kate, it was late, we were basically on deaths doorstep and you think that my daughter is going to think we snuck in a quickie?" he asks in disbelief, "We would never be just about sex," he adds.

Kate still looks worried and unsure so he knows she is being completely serious.

"Alexis was worried for both of us last night, the last thing on her mind was how well we'd control ourselves," he assures her.

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm over-reacting. This isn't what I wanted to say to you; at all," she sounds beside herself.

"Perhaps you are just confusing the emotion of last night with something more erotic, you feel like you've been ravished and my daughter is in the house, it's perfectly reasonable for you to feel some trepidation," he states. "I'm sure neither of us expected to be in this situation where we haven't gotten down and dirty," he tells her with a wink, she just blushes more furiously.

"Rick, whatever went on last night, it just, it made me feel all kinds of things and I just feel confused about it all. I know I promised to talk with you about it all, and I will, I just, I don't even know how to put any of what I am thinking into words," she said exasperatedly.

"It was a pretty big step in an amazing direction. I mean, I have to tell you Kate, I think I've been semi-erect the entire time," he tells her brazenly lifting the covers showing off the slight tenting of his boxers.

Kate's eyes widen and she lays back on her pillow with the back of her hand covering her eyes, "We so cannot go _there,_ this morning," she sighs.

"This morning?" Rick raises his eyebrows.

"Ergh! I'll admit that there are a lot of feelings here Rick and that we aren't in the best position to discuss them," she tells him. "You and I tend to get side tracked and stop talking all together," she reminds him of their brief encounter from last night.

"Afraid you'll be turned on and forced to ravish me?" he asks her playfully, confident that she was too far in to back out.

"Oh, I've been frightened since last night, but I was too tired then," she admits openly, surprising him and herself.

"God, you're going to kill me Kate," he whines.

"Kill you? Where's the fun in that?" she throws his words back at him.

They both hear movement upstairs and look at each other to see where they should go from here. Rick reluctantly gets out of the bed and pulls on his shirt and a pair of jeans. "I'm going to go down stairs and get your bag, I'm sure you don't want Alexis to see you in just your underwear," he throws his shirt from last night back at her to put on.

Kate gets out of the bed as well, donning the shirt and nods at his suggestion. "I suppose I will have a shower then, clean up after yesterday," she watches him.

Rick swallows watching her walk towards his bathroom and can't help but wish he could follow her in. He watches her stop at the entrance and turn to look at him. She is biting her lip and her eyebrows are pulled closely together, he can tell her thoughts have gone in the same direction.

She rests her hand on the door frame and finally looks over at him still biting her lip and thinking, he watches as her fist clenches and she moves into the bathroom, closing the door almost completely.

He decides if he gets back and she is still in there he will, as the saying goes: 'test the waters'.

Kate tosses Ricks shirt and shucks her panties slipping into the warmth of the shower. It's an amazing shower really, just the right temperature and pressure. It isn't the same without him here and she hates herself for wishing he was because they had too much to lose by being careless.

It would be so easy to get carried away. They almost did last night. She couldn't remember a time where she had felt this way. She supposes this must be what love feels like, real love. She is in love with Richard Castle! She knows she can't think straight when she is around him; it's so obvious with all the things that keep slipping out of her mouth.

Even though she is terrified she doesn't seem to be frightened enough not to flirt with him, can't control it even. She's happy, honest to God happy. As much as she wants to discuss the ins and outs of a potential relationship she can't help but wonder; why bother? If she was realistic she would see that they are already in a relationship, that she already had every feeling she could possibly feel for this man, that talking, at this point, was highly unnecessary.

It occurs to her that she is trapped here basically whilst the snow storm ravages the city that they will have to resolve these issues somehow. Alexis is here with them, it could get super awkward. It's not that she minds Alexis knowing that she is in love with her father. I mean, she is a little worried about what the girl will think but surely it would be no secret to a girl Alexis's age what happens behind closed doors. She doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable and she certainly doesn't like the idea of being heard. Doesn't like the idea of someone, especially Alexis _knowing _what they are doing.

She knows it is only inevitable that they will get there. There is no way they'll keep their hands to themselves once they have the conversation. The one where Kate knows she'll have to tell Rick that she loves him. He'll be like an animal after that. It makes her blush just thinking about it.

Kate thinks hard and comes up with a solution. Something that she does best, rules.

They could take things slow. No more nakedness, that was a one off, they almost died. Last night was about need. Nothing more, she can lie to herself.

Nothing had happened that pushed them into lover's territory. Some heated making out sums up the entirety of the evening, even if there was nudity.

She by no means intends to hurt him; this will be just as hard for her. She finds herself aroused whenever he is and after this morning she knows that it is often.

She just reminds herself that this is for Alexis's benefit and that she couldn't possibly let go with his child in the house. She rests her head against the glass of the shower and sighs. However long this snow thing lasts was going to be too long.

Rick was making his way back up to the loft, he had been as quick as he could be, thoughts of taking Kate against the bathroom wall emblazoned in his mind. He knew that if the opportunity arises she wouldn't be able to refuse him, their pull was too strong, and she couldn't fight it, he didn't want her to have to fight it.

He bursts back through the front door, only to see Alexis in the kitchen cooking up a storm. It occurs to him that through all of this he had forgotten the reason he had gotten out of bed in the first place. He felt bad for forgetting Alexis's presence so quickly but knew that it didn't count because he was in love.

Looks like he wasn't going to convince Kate this morning, and he feels as though the window of opportunity for them has closed. She was so willing the night before and even seemed fairly calm about things this morning considering her embarrassment. What if she decides to pretend it didn't happen? She promised they would talk, and as soon as they had a private moment he was going to make sure it happened.

He knew it was wrong to push, she'd even explained that she needed to think about things, couldn't voice her feelings, that she was confused. Pushing her now would be the wrong thing to do. He decides that she will have to start the conversation, that the best way to play this out was to be completely silent on the subject and to mention nothing. If anything, her curiosity would smoke her out into opening up the discussion.

"Morning Dad, morning Kate, I made you some breakfast," Alexis's greeting alerts him to Kate's presence and he knows for sure he has missed any opportunity of seeing her naked again.

Kate smiles and sits at the bar where she was seated the night before. She is wearing his shirt. He isn't sure what to think, she knows he went to get her bag so she didn't have to come out in his clothing again, but she did anyway.

"Thank you for the soup last night Alexis, it was just what I needed," she tells her, watching Rick by the door.

"I'll just go put this in here," Rick tells them and walks off to his room.

"Did you sleep okay?" Alexis asks Kate.

"Very well, thank you. I was exhausted and thanks to your Dad I'm not freezing my butt off back at my apartment," she replies.

"I was worried when he rushed off like that," Alexis admits, "but I'm glad that he got you back here safely. He would have gone nuts if he thought something had happened to you, especially since a few other people have been discovered this morning that weren't so lucky," Alexis explains.

"I'm sorry that he feels he has to do all this Alexis, I don't want him to get hurt trying to look after me," Kate tries her best to make Alexis understand.

"The only way he'll get hurt by you Kate is if you don't let him look after you," Alexis tells her pointedly.

Kate just nods and glances towards his study wondering when he'll come out of the room.

"I don't mean to be so nosey Kate, whatever happens between you and Dad is between you and Dad, I just want you to know that he really cares," Alexis smiles.

"I know he does Alexis, and so do I. I think that's why this is so difficult," Kate admits.

Alexis smiles even brighter and Kate is relieved that she has been accepted. That Alexis understands she is trying to deal with all of this.

"Why don't you go see what Dad is up to, he did just run off with your clothes," Alexis raises an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Oh God," Kate blushes and excuses herself, Alexis was implying Rick was going through her underwear!

Kate enters the study and then goes through the door that leads to the writer's bedroom, in her haste and embarrassment at Alexis's suggestion she takes little notice of her bag by the door and walks straight past it and into Rick who is only wearing a towel having just emerged from the shower.

"Woah!" he catches her before she smacks into him entirely.

"Oh! I'm sorry," Kate turns away from him, "I was just coming to see what you'd done with my clothes."

"Your bag's back by the door. I was surprised you'd gone out there in my clothes," Rick tells her.

"I could smell the cooking, I figured you wouldn't be much longer and Alexis saw what I was wearing last night anyway."

"True, here are your panties by the way," he hands her the garment she had neglected upon exiting the shower and she is forced to turn around.

Kate bites her lip, she hadn't intended on him finding those before she could pack them away and change.

"I didn't plan on going out there and it sort of slipped my mind at the time," she blushed.

"So, what are you wearing under my shirt?" Rick's eyes bulge, waiting for her answer.

"Not a lot," she replies coyly.

He can't help it, the moment he realises she has been standing there with no panties and she confirms it, he lunges. She doesn't resist, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck the hem of his shirt exposing the lower half of her backside. The towel drops, and she can feel him against her. The situation was getting heated and she begins to push him back towards the shower and he starts unbuttoning the shirt.

"Dad, Kate! Breakfast is ready!" Alexis shouts out to them.

They jump apart in shock, once again forgetting that Alexis wasn't far away and could even walk in at any moment.

Kate stands looking at Rick with her hand touching her lips; she can't believe how little control they have around each other, or how great his body truly is. He was certainly in a heightened state of arousal.

He looked just as bewildered as Kate, but not because of his daughter, he was waging an internal battle about stealing her away into the bathroom and locking the door and blasting the radio. His mind had totally absconded into a fantasy.

"Coming, Alexis!" Kate shouted back to buy them some time.

She turned back to Rick, and he was smirking. She face palms for not thinking again before she opened her mouth and letting Rick silently turn her words into innuendo. Then she bravely moves in quickly and gives him a peck on the lips whilst she pushes him back towards the shower, alone.

"Don't be too long," she tells him, biting her lip and quickly shutting the door between them.

She gets some clothes out of her bag quickly and finishes the last couple of buttons Rick hadn't gotten to, blushing. When she is sure she is presentable she rushes back out to Alexis.

"Sorry, I was just getting changed," Kate tells Alexis as she once again takes a seat at the breakfast bar and a sip of her coffee trying to hide her smile, "Your Dad is having a shower."


	4. Let's talk it out

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

Rick had gotten rid of all the tension from the events of the morning after his shower. Sitting back down on his bed he thinks about everything that has happened. Rescuing Kate from her apartment, sleeping in the same bed; a lot had happened in the last twenty-four hours. He knew that he loved Kate, that he would do anything for her. He just didn't want to rush in and ruin things. Kate could become flighty.

Everything indicates that she is fairly comfortable with the recent turn of events but would they have arrived at this romantic interlude sans privacy if her apartment building hadn't practically become derelict? There never seemed to be a right time for them in the past, may be this was the only way that they would fall into the abyss.

Rick decided he had pondered long enough and went in search of his breakfast. Kate was the only other person in the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar, finishing her breakfast.

"Where'd Alexis go?" He asked her.

"Oh, well she said she was going to use the time being kept indoors to study. I think it takes her mind off what happened with Ashley," she tells him.

"She has been keeping to her room a lot, though her exams are just around the corner and she has always been dedicated to her school work," he surmises and accepts his own point.

"Is this plate mine?" He point to the plate next to Kate.

"It sure is, eat up, it's great! Alexis can really cook, Castle," she smiles at him.

"So it's Castle now?" He asks her, his eyebrow rises.

Kate looks over at him as if to read how she should play the situation, and Rick waits patiently wondering what she is thinking.

"I don't think calling you Castle takes away any intimacy Rick. You've always been Castle to me, I guess I sort of like that I can call you that, and other women don't," she admits.

He is struck by her comment for a moment; other women? She is comparing herself to other women. Does that mean she sees herself as his woman?

"I guess not, I actually like that you call me that, you know? It's our thing, and you do make it sound pretty sexy," he winks.

Kate rolls her eyes but doesn't lose eye contact, "we have to talk, don't we?" She sighs.

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" he questions.

"No, no of course not Rick, I just. I thought we could just deal with it how it comes, but after this morning we obviously have no self control!" She says quietly her eyes finally diverting from embarrassment.

"It's not like this is just all hormones and lust Kate, I think we know that this is more than that," he prompts.

"I wish I could make this easy and just open up and tell you everything I'm feeling but I haven't been that person for a long time. The person that I am now doesn't dive into things like this on a whim, doesn't blindly go where my heart tells me to. I make measured well thought out decisions and I find that since I've been here I haven't been able to think at all. It's really throwing me off balance. I know you want to give me space but even when you do that I find the only thing I think about is what we could be doing together instead of me sitting around thinking about everything that could go wrong!" she explains.

By now the conversation has moved over to the couch because Kate couldn't have this conversation in his bedroom. Rick moves closer to Kate on the couch and places his elbow against it mirroring Kate's position resting his head in his hand.

"Do I really make you stop thinking?" He asks her proudly. "Oh, and what is it you keep thinking we could be doing together whilst you should be weighing up the pros and cons of my love for you?" he says wiggling his eyebrows not realising his slip.

Kate's eyes go wide and she stares at him in disbelief, "I never said anything about love," Kate tells him softly.

"You know it's true though, Kate. If you really think about it, I mean, it would explain why you cannot justify your feelings; it's one of those things you can't explain like bigfoot, or Eskimo's," he says in all seriousness.

Kate of course, cannot understand why he breaks out these random metaphors that make limited sense.

"I can't help how I feel," Kate whispers, almost to herself.

"Neither can I. So why do we have to suffer?" he shakes his head in bewilderment.

"Is that what I've done to you Rick? Made you suffer?" He can tell she is upset by this notion.

"No, Kate. Come on, that isn't what I meant. I mean, sure, I've had pretty big feelings for you for a while and I knew you didn't take me seriously, or couldn't imagine taking me seriously. I know you've had to work through things. All I am saying is that it could be so easy for us. I know you think it would be complicated and that you think everyone knowing including the public would cause havoc. I know you can imagine hundreds of scenario's where your heart somehow gets broken because of who I am or who you think I am. You should listen to your heart Kate; it will tell you the truth. I've always been here, and I'll always be here. This is my spot, standing here with you. Nothing else would feel right," he pleads his case.

Wiping a stray tear from her eye Kate makes her decision, "I have feelings for you Castle, big feelings," she tells him, smiling slightly at the use of his words from earlier. "I don't know where to place them yet because it's hard to believe that I feel this way. Knowing you feel a certain way and accepting it are two very different things," she sighs.

"You trust me?" he asks her.

"Of course, I don't want to hide from you Rick, it's just been a long time since I've looked at a potential relationship and seen a future; wanted a future, you know?"

"Earlier, before breakfast, that would have been magic," Rick whispers to her whilst their fingers tangle with each others.

Kate rests her forehead against Ricks, "I know," she whispers back.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rick asks her after they finish watching beauty and the beast.

Kate, who had been lying down on the couch in front of Rick turned in his embrace, "Sure," she tells him.

"Are you comfortable?" he asks her.

"Of course, I would have moved if I wasn't, am I making you uncomfortable?" She proceeds to try and move but he stops her.

"No! No, that isn't what I mean. I meant about everything that's happened since you've been here," he tells her genuinely.

"I know it seems so unlike me, to shower with you and to basically sleep nude, and flirt with you; a lot," she smirks.

"Well, yeah, I did wonder about it," he tells her awkwardly.

"I'll admit that I wasn't prepared for these turn of events. When I left the precinct on Friday I was starting my leave I thought a good rest was in order, it was just poor judgement on my part that lead to me missing all the signs of the problem with my building. You put yourself at risk coming to get me especially in that storm, and I know if you hadn't you wouldn't have been able to reach after the fact. The shower thing, well it pushed us closer to where I think we need to be and I mean, if you hadn't done that I might have needed to go to the hospital".

"All true," Rick replies.

"I suppose throwing most forms of modesty out the window was probably the most out of character for me around you," she blushes.

"I'll say!" Rick blurts out.

Kate elbows him, "It's not like you hadn't already gotten a good look anyway!"

Rick shrugs, "Honestly I was more concerned with you passing out than your hot body, but you make a valid point."

"I was really exhausted; my lack of judgement there can be blamed on that!"

"So the make out session and getting to spend the night in the same bed with you wearing only your panties was lack of judgment because you were tired?" he muses.

"It was a lot of things," Kate huffs and Rick smiles at her teasingly. "Being naked didn't help the situation. It was intimate, and I trust you and am obviously attracted to you, sometimes you can't fight the pull, especially when exhausted," Kate argues.

"So what you've surmised here is simply that without your rational mind that continuously strives to keep us apart being active, you just went for what you want, you and I are sexually attracted to each other, so baser instinct is for that to culminate in hot -," Kate cuts him off.

"I get it! I'm sorry that I practically jumped you. I know I was being too forward and that I shouldn't get my way when it suits me," she says grumpily.

"Yeah, well lucky we were too exhausted," Rick chuckled.

"Why is that?"

"Well, with what we'd been through beforehand it's almost certain that the kind of magic we'd have made would have killed us!" he embellishes.

Kate laughs out loud at this and hides her face in his neck. She certainly agrees with the notion that it would be explosive.

"I've never really stopped to talk about things like this before, I would have thought this to be more awkward," Kate tells him.

"I guess there is just a lot more at stake here than usual," he replies.

"I'll say."

The conversation stopped after this as they cuddled and took to their own thoughts. Neither one of them wanted to make things awkward, though Rick could never help himself.

"You totally would have had kinky shower sex with me this morning," he blurts out.

Kate snorts, "Perhaps," she smiles into his shirt.

"I know that we have to discuss some other things first though, if you wouldn't mind," he asks.

"Go ahead," she says, curious about what it is he wants to discuss further.

"Kate, we are pretty good friends, first and foremost so I guess what I am trying to ask might seem stupid. I know you think that I always know what you want but this is one of those things that I'm not one hundred percent sure about, so bare with me. What I want to talk to you about is how you feel about me," he finally gets to his point.

"I told you I'm still trying to work through what's happened," Kate tells him.

"I mean more in the long term, as in would you want to get married to me at some point in the future, have children? I want to know if you would want those things with me some day," he watches her closely.

"I know you want all the answers Rick, I suppose what I can tell you is this; you're the only man that I have ever pictured possibly having a child with. You have been married twice before but I know you were misguided and that you're not the sole reason for those relationships failing. I'm someone who takes marriage pretty seriously and I can't say the idea doesn't appeal to me, marrying you," she smiles shyly. "To answer your question, if we were to have a relationship it would of course be a serious one where the intentions are clear," she responds.

"This tells me a lot more about your feelings than what you've been saying, Kate," he prompts her.

"Can I ask you a question?" she dodges his prompting.

"Of course," he replies.

"Are you certain that someone else isn't going to catch your attention, that you would actually be happy with me," she finally gets to her insecurity.

"Kate, the playboy image is just that; an image. Sure, I've had flings, organised dates for events and have used that persona in the past, but I haven't been on the scene like that in a long time. You and I have mental sex," he blurts out.

"Mental sex," Kate raises her eyebrow in question.

"Yeah, you know, like our minds can keep up with each other, and when we solve cases together and we know what the other is thinking or when we solve the case at the same time, it's mutual mental orgasm!" he tells her quietly like it's a secret.

Kate blushes, "we do work well together," she replies not making eye contact.

"Exactly, I was meant to find you and I was made to love you Kate Beckett, just you," He kisses her forehead.

"Don't forget Alexis and Martha," Kate replies.

"Of course not, but that's a different kind of love," he explains.

"Okay," Kate says.

"Okay?" Rick asks.

"You've convinced me, that what we have here is love. I mean, I knew that I was feeling it but it's a lot of faith to put in another person, I guess it's hard to let go of all that control," she sighs.

"Are you saying that you love me too?" he asks.

"Always," she replies.

This time Rick kisses her properly and they smile so much during the kiss that they have to break apart and just stare at each other.

"Let's keep this between us for now," Rick tells Kate and she is surprised that he is the first to suggest it.

"Really?" she asks him happily.

"Yeah, it can be just for us, nobody else in our special little bubble," he smiles back at her.

"I'd like that," she kisses him once more.

"It looks like it's still pretty bad out there," Rick comments to Kate when he walks over to the main window.

"I think the three of us will be stuck here for a few days at least," she replies.

"Not such a bad thing," he winks at her and then embraces her.

"We really shouldn't, not with Alexis here; I don't want to make her uncomfortable. I certainly don't want her to see us like this, not just yet," Kate tells him.

"I understand," Rick replies.

"Please don't look so disappointed," Kate pouts, "I want you like nobody's business but I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing Alexis could hear or walk in on us," she tells him pointedly.

"Well, knowing this I will try super hard not to make you forget why we shouldn't be doing this just now," he agrees.

"Thank you," she smiles and hugs him tightly.

"Will you still stay with me though? Alexis knows that you slept in there last night, she didn't seem too fazed by it?" he asks her.

"She didn't seem fazed at all, so I suppose it would be okay but no monkey business, we shouldn't jump into this simply because the situation has been forced," Kate says, trying to convince herself as well as Rick.

"Okay. Hey, I know it's only early afternoon but do you want to go snuggle for a while?" he asks her excitedly.

"We'll never get our sleeping patterns back, Rick," Kate whines.

"It's not like we can go anywhere anyway, and I'm still exhausted from last night. Think of it as a slumber party!" he replies.

"Okay, but can we watch a movie or something, I can't guarantee I'll be able to fall asleep this early in the day regardless of how tired I am," she confesses.

"Sure! I have massive tv in there and any movie you want," he tells her.

"Can we watch Star Wars?" Kate asks hopefully.

"See! This really is love!" Rick smiles as her, eyes beaming.

Kate chuckles and takes his hand, "Back to bed then?" she prompts.

"Back to bed it is!" Rick shouts triumphantly.


	5. Starwars and Snuggles

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

As it turned out, it didn't take long for the couple to fall asleep watching Star wars. Being snuggled up in a nice warm bed was enough to send them to sleep quite quickly, even with the large flat screen television blaring from the other side of the room.

Kate woke up to shooting sounds and realised that the fifth movie had started and that she had completely missed the fourth. It didn't matter though, this one was her favourite. Plus Han Solo did kind of remind her of Rick.

Rick was still curled around her, face tucked into her neck. She smiled. He looked so comfortable. How they ended up like this she'll never know.

Han and Leia had just had their romantic encounter somewhere on the Millennium Falcon when Rick made his presence known.

"Pretty hot scene really," he whispers in Kate's ear. "Even though they're not even naked," he added.

"It is a pretty hot romance," Kate clears her throat.

"Like ours?" Rick asks her.

"I suppose it is, all tight with tension and fear," she leans over him and her eyes dart to his lips. "But like Han and Leia, there isn't going to be any touching of space junk," she winks at him.

"What? You don't like my space junk Detective Beckett," Rick rolls on top of her resting his weight on his arms.

"Well, I never said I didn't like it," Kate pointed out.

"I thought you weren't looking!" Rick asks her indignantly.

"I didn't look then, I was practically unconscious. I meant this morning and I didn't see so much as _feel_," she tells him, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Rick quickly rolls off of her, "Right, yes, cooling off now, you win," he tells her.

Kate smiles, their morning impromptu make out session slash almost shower sex was quite a titillating thought.

"This is going to be a lot harder than I thought," Kate speaks quietly.

"You're telling me!" Rick groans.

Kate hits him, "you've made your point, I'm sorry," she tells him.

"You know, the innuendo is just going to keep coming," he replies. "Oops".

Kate scrunches up her nose, "I'm sorry Rick, I can't help how I feel. You know I love Alexis but I'm not going to lie. For me, having your daughter in the house is, it's really, well..."

"Total cock block," Rick sighs.

Kate snorts, "well I don't know if I would have put in those terms but I suppose you are fairly accurate, it's just more, difficult now because we are so.."

"Horny?" Rick prompts

"Rick!" Kate blushes.

"I'm sorry, would you prefer 'in heat?" he asks.

"Is that what you think I am?" Kate raises an eyebrow.

"Well, I think we are both exhibiting signs of mating behaviour," he tells her matter of fact, "We've certainly never been like this before," he points out.

"Oh! Now I've heard it all, you're seriously going to go all discovery channel on this?" she stares at him.

"Well, not _all _discovery channel because the discovery channel actually gets to the mat—," she clasps her hand over his mouth.

"I get it," she frowns.

"Would be a good title for the next book, 'In Heat'," Rick tells her playfully.

"Yeah well, write that and you'll never be 'In Heat'," Kate huffs.

"Don't be silly, Heat is just a fictional character," Rick placates her.

"Based on me," Kate replies testily.

"Yes, but I'm not calling the book 'In Kate'," he whispers seductively.

"God, we are not having this conversation," Kate turns away from him.

"God? No, Kate, it's me, Rick," he smiles over at her.

He sees her shoulders shaking with mirth at his little joke and is pleased with himself.

"So you're not comfortable talking about sex, interesting, I really had pegged you as a sex kitten and not a prude," Rick tells her, egging her on.

"I am not. I can talk about adult things just fine thank you very much. I just don't reduce it all down to animal instincts and 'mating habits'," Kate huffs.

"Look at you, all hot and bothered. All I said was that you are in heat, in season, a fruit ready to be plucked," he whispers.

"Well nobody is going to get plucked today," Kate tells him angrily.

"You're angry?" Rick prompts.

"..."

"Kate, come on! Really, this is stupid," he starts to get angry as well.

"Rick, you're just making this worse. I tell you we can't. You keep pointing out how close we are to just doing it. I never said you were wrong, I just, I can't handle you talking about this when we aren't in a position to do something about it!" she flips out.

"Whoa! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I guess I just don't know when to stop sometimes. I like the idea of it so much that I had to take it apart and analyse it. I like that we are heading in that direction. You know, where you're mine and I'm yours and nobody else gets to touch you like that," Rick sighs and snuggles up next to her.

"That's sweet," she rolls over and gives him a little kiss before hiding her face in his neck.

He likes her like this, all blushing and aroused but happy at the same time.

"Damn snowstorm," Rick huffs.

Kate giggles.

"You shouldn't blame the snowstorm, Rick. After all if you hadn't been forced to rescue me we wouldn't have seen each other naked and we probably wouldn't have given in," she tells him matter of fact.

"You're right. Blessed snowstorm," he whispers reverently.

"It's going to be strange when I go back to my apartment," she tells him shaking her head at his antics.

"Don't tell me you're thinking of going home already?" He questions worriedly.

"No, I can't go back straight away anyway. Heat doesn't get turned back on until the 8th unless I hear from Jerry before then," Kate sighs.

"Oh, so you're just using me for warmth?" Rick chides.

"Well...not just warmth," Kate lowered her lashes at him seductively.

"Kate," Rick warned.

"What? I also use you for snuggling," she grins.

Rick groans, "We really need to stop flirting. Not that I don't enjoy it," he tells her.

"Yeah, you're right. I guess we're just too used to it, only now it is a bit more real, you know?" She whispers to him.

"Yeah, I know," he kisses her forehead.

"We are pretty good at pressing each other's buttons though," Kate comments innocently.

"I know! See, that is why this will be so great," he smiles and she laughs at his child like glee.

"I wasn't sure we'd ever get to this point," Kate admits quietly.

"Long time coming, I agree," Rick plays with her hair.

"Do you, hmm, never mind," Kate changes her mind.

"No, what is it?" Rick prompts.

"I'm sorry, I just I keep thinking ahead of myself. Find myself wanting to know things that I probably can leave until later," Kate tells him.

"That's alright. I'd be lying if I told you I hadn't played out our future in my head a million times," Rick smiles.

"Really?" Kate asks in wonder.

"Of course," Rick admits.

"Well, then I guess this question won't seem too left field," Kate sighs.

"Go on then," he bumps her.

"Okay, well, I guess, I just wanted to know how you felt about children," Kate asks shyly.

"I love children," Rick answers.

"I know you're a great father to Alexis, but what I meant was how you'd feel about more children? You basically have an adult daughter so it would be remiss of me not to ask you if you would want to go through that type of thing again," she tells him.

"My years with Alexis have been very special and I've enjoyed them all, for a long time it was just she and I against the world," he smiles. "I've always been careful, since Alexis. It was pretty tough trying to tell her why her mother didn't stick around," Rick sighs.

"Meredith didn't want Alexis?" Kate questioned, eyebrows furrowed.

"I had to beg her to go through with the pregnancy and even after that she blamed me for what it had done to her figure and about seven or so months later she was in bed with her producer," Rick stares at the ceiling as he narrates.

"Rick, that's terrible, poor Alexis, and poor you for that matter!" Kate couldn't believe someone would abandon their own child like that.

"To answer your question, I haven't wanted anymore children before because I hadn't found a woman who I thought would stick around. Gina was married to her job more so than she was ever married to me," he tells her.

"I see," Kate stares at the ceiling as well.

"However, if you were to phrase the question to ask me if I would ever want to have children with you, well, when can we start," he wiggles he eyebrows at her.

Kate looks over at him and quirks her eyebrow back at him, "you're serious?" She questions.

"Deadly," he smiles.

"With me?" Kate raises her eyebrows.

"Oh yes, definitely. I could imagine little you and me's running around with your hair and my eyes or my cheeky smile and your eyes. I know that you're not like other women from my past Kate, what we have feels so much more," he looks at her.

"It does feel, special," she admits.

"So how about you then?" Rick questions.

"What?" Kate asks him confused.

"Do you want children?" He asks her.

"Well, I always thought I'd like to be a mother some day. I've never seriously considered having any children with anyone before though," she tells him.

"I'm the first man you've discussed having children with?" Rick asked genuinely surprised.

"I haven't ever been with anyone whom I've wanted to have children with, it never felt right to bother with that kind of conversation and no one from the past ever brought it up," she admits.

"Must be serious then," he smiles at her happily.

She rolls her eyes, "You know, we're really not good at getting away from topics regarding sex," Kate chuckles.

"Well, I like knowing that you want to make little Castle babies," Rick teased.

"Ergh! I'm sorry I had to bring it up, I was just curious," Kate hides her face.

"Hey, come on, I think it's sweet," he cuddles up to her.

"No, you just like the idea of me being barefoot and pregnant," Kate chides.

"Well, it would be pretty sexy knowing that I was the one who – "

She shuts him up with a kiss.

"Everyone would know it's me, even if you did finally shoot me," Rick huffs.

"They'd have no reason to suspect you Rick," Kate rolls her eyes.

"Oh, really? They are detectives, surely they could put your happy moods and your increasing size down to my –"

She cuts him off again, "Shut up," she kisses him, smiling.


	6. Dinner and Discussions

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

That evening, after having spent most of the day in bed watching movies and snuggling Kate decided that she and Rick had been neglecting Alexis. Rick argued that she was just giving them space and wouldn't mind but Kate genuinely liked spending time with all of the Castle clan and was determined to make them all sit down together for a meal.

"Rick, we cannot expect poor Alexis to just coup herself up in that room while we almost hit the honeymoon phase," she tells him exasperatedly.

"I know, I'm sorry, I guess I'm not being the best father at the moment," he said sadly.

Kate grips his hand, "We just got carried away, that's all," she smiles at him. "Alexis understands, she is wiser than her years," Kate compliments.

"That's definitely true," Rick whispers.

"I'll go up and get her, perhaps you could get some pasta happening?" Kate suggests.

"Sure thing," he smiles back at her.

Kate makes her way up the stairs and down the hall a short distance before knocking on Alexis's bedroom door. Alexis opens the door seconds later with a surprised expression on her face.

"Kate! Is everything okay?" She asks with concern.

"Of course, I just thought I'd come up and let you know that your Dad and I are starting on dinner. I also hoped I could apologise," Kate started slightly embarrassed by the conversation she is about to start.

"Apologise?" Alexis questions.

"Yeah, you know about how things have been since I've been here. You've barely been downstairs and I hope that I haven't made things uncomfortable for you, I don't mean to and I won't be in your hair for much longer, just until it's safe to go back to my apartment," she rambles.

She waits for Alexis to say something but the girl just smiles at Kate.

"What?" Kate asks her, confused.

"You've barely been here two days, my behaviour is nothing out of the ordinary, I've been using the snow storm as an opportunity to work on college applications and school stuff like I told you and Dad this morning," she tells Kate almost confused at her not remembering.

Kate stutters, "It really has only been less than two days, I think in my head it's felt like forever," she admits embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it Kate, I understand. I felt the same way when I was with Ashley. You and Dad don't remember what I said because you really can't see anything but each other. I don't mean to make that sound snide, I think this is great, that you and Dad seem to be working on things," she raises her eyebrow as if to ask the big question.

Kate blushes furiously, "We've done a lot of talking," she tells her.

Alexis smiles like she doesn't quite believe Kate's words but continues unfazed, "Well, either way, nothing bothers me up here and like I said I've been busy working on things. You don't have to tell me about you and Dad _like that_, it wasn't what I was asking before," Alexis corrects.

"That's okay Alexis, I guess I'm awkward at this and you must think I'm trying to lie to you about things but honestly your Dad and I haven't..."

Alexis quickly cuts Kate off, embarrassed at having been misunderstood and not wanting to know what Kate is about to say, "No! I wasn't asking, I mean, I guess, well, are you and Dad dating now?" Alexis asks confused.

"Well, I don't want to just jump into something like this with your Dad because we've been good friends for a long time and this situation, how we've been the last couple of days, it's really been a catalyst but I don't want this to happen because of that, if you understand what I mean? God, I'm really not good at this," Kate rests her forehead against the door jam.

"I think I understand what you mean Kate, about not wanting to be in a relationship that probably wouldn't have started without this snowstorm," Alexis concludes sadly. "Come sit and talk," Alexis invites her in.

"That doesn't mean that I don't, have feelings for your Dad Alexis, I mean, it's fairly obvious that we are going through a '_thing',_" she blushes, taking a seat on the end of Alexis's bed whilst Alexis takes the desk chair.

"I know you two just have to work things out, but Kate, from what I know of both of you and from what I've seen, the one thing I know for sure is that my Dad really does love you. Don't freak out, but, I know that the time he has spent in your life is longer than he has spent with anyone even if you haven't dated and whether you've known it or not I don't know but for a long time, years even, Dad has seen you as 'the one', I know he does. The last few years have changed him, and at first I thought the changes were only going to end up hurting him but I see now that you recognise him for who he truly is and that you wrestle with the same emotions that he does. He doesn't look at other women; he only ever talks about you, the precinct and the team. He does the bare minimum of the appearances, he used to be out all the time promoting and mingling and filling the holes in his heart with affection from women who just want his money or fame. He doesn't do that anymore Kate, he spends more time wanting to be a family and includes you in every decision he makes. You make him want to be the man that he truly is and I think that you love him every bit as much as he loves you, though perhaps it pains you in some way to admit it," Alexis tells her, out of breath, watching her reactions.

Kate is teary eyed by the end of Alexis's spiel that she knows to be full of truths.

"I know that I haven't given your father everything he deserves Alexis. Like I said before, we've been talking a lot. You don't have to convince me that he loves me or question whether I love him. Your father wanted to keep it between us that we are having a go at being together but I think its safe telling you. I mean, I can't have you thinking that I'm just leading him on or anything like that. I know the impression that we left the other evening, but I can see why it didn't faze you, you know how he feels," Kate explains.

"Yes, I certainly know how Dad feels," she rolls her eyes.

"This must have been difficult for you," Kate says.

"There were times as I've said that I didn't think you two would ever get your act together and then there was even a point where I thought you'd given up on ever contemplating something more with him. I was worried, I'll be off at college next semester and I don't know what Dad would do without you, he'd be devastated if you had another relationship with someone else. It's been the case before so I figured if you had feelings for him that you wouldn't date other men," Alexis explains.

"I suppose you're referring to Josh," Kate questions.

Alexis gives a subtle nod, it appears a sore subject and Kate never realised how deeply Rick's unhappiness had affected Alexis.

"I met Josh when your father left the precinct for the summer with Gina; I didn't think at that point that he considered me as anything more than a colleague. He invited me first, you know?" she tells her.

"Yeah, I know, but weren't you with Schlemming?" Alexis smirks.

Kate rolls her eyes, "we'd barely been on a date at the time but I liked that someone was interested in me and wasn't afraid to show it. Your Dad never said anything to make me think that he wanted something more than a fling to put it lightly," Kate defends.

"I don't doubt that, I think at the time he was confused about how he felt, considering he hadn't had any successful nor meaningful relationships well, ever," Alexis replies.

"That time was confusing for me too, what you probably don't know is that after I turned down your Dad's offer to go to the Hamptons and 'work on my tan' he heard Demming asking me about whether I got cleared for time off over the weekend to go to a beach house. I saw the reaction, that I'd been reluctant to accept your Dad's offer because he thought I had a better one. At the time it felt like his offer came out of nowhere, I'd agreed to go with Tom and then all of a sudden your Dad wants me? I didn't know how I felt and Esposito ended up saying to me that I'd been oblivious, and that your Dad doesn't need to stick around for 'research', that he'd been sticking around for me," Kate sighed painfully.

"You really didn't know?" Alexis asks.

"No, I didn't think I was a serious consideration with your Dad at the time. We were still finding our feet as friends, I knew that I felt a connection with him but he was Richard Castle famous writer and notorious play boy," Kate stops abruptly.

"I've seen the gossip Kate, it's alright. Dad has been through many phases some of them not so pretty and many I don't approve of but his publishers really do make him out to be way more promiscuous than he has ever really been; it's just an image," she tells her.

"I know that now, I wasn't entirely sure back then. Your Dad can be arrogant and I had a lot to learn about him before I trusted the man and not his made up persona," Kate reveals.

"So what happened," Alexis was listening intently.

"I decided that the attraction I had to Tom was just..." she trails off not sure she should say things like this to Alexis.

"It's okay Kate, I'm a big girl, you can tell me whatever you like," she prompts.

"Well, okay, I decided that it was just a physical attraction and that what I was feeling was more about projecting my feelings for your Dad," Kate blushes, hoping that Alexis doesn't read into what she says too much.

"So what you're saying is that you were transferring your feelings for Dad onto Tom because you felt he was more of a realistic possibility," Alexis mulls it over without making things too awkward.

"Pretty much, you don't miss much do you?" Kate smiles at her.

"I'm like Dad that way," Alexis smiles back.

"Anyway, I decided to be spontaneous and that I was being cruel to Tom when I had all these unresolved feelings for your Dad. I broke it off with Demming and he was upset but I think he knew. Then when it came time for the going away party the boys sprung for your Dad I took him aside to tell him that I'd go to the Hamptons with him. I was struggling around how to say what I was feeling and everything not knowing that your Dad had already accepted defeat," Kate was looking away into the distance and Alexis could see the sadness.

"Then Gina showed up? Alexis asked.

"Yep, and they rode off into the sunset," she embellishes.

"Then you met Josh? Alexis asked.

"Not straight away. I was pretty miserable for a while and it took weeks of encouragement from Lanie but eventually I started getting out more, she'd take me out for drinks and things," Kate remembers.

"So you met Josh at a bar? Alexis questions.

"No, I met him at a gas station," Kate corrects.

At Alexis's confused expression Kate explains, "I was out on my Harley one Sunday afternoon, I'd been driving around feeling pretty sorry for myself, it wasn't until after your Dad had been gone a month or so that I really started to understand how hopelessly I'd fallen for him, even if what we'd had was not much past superficial, I still felt like he really understood me and that's hard to come by. Anyway, I was filling up the bike when this tall handsome man asks me why I'm crying and up until that point I hadn't even realised that I was, which made me mad. That I was crying over someone who didn't even really care about me," Kate explains.

"But that's not true! Alexis pipes up.

"I know that now, it didn't feel that way then. The rest is history really, I started seeing Josh, things were easy, I was busy he was busy, things progressed and I didn't have to invest all that much of myself. I didn't expect your Dad to ever come back so I was finding the relationship more and more real rather than some kind of rebound," Kate tries to explain her thoughts.

"Did Josh know about Dad?" Alexis asks.

"No. I wanted to keep that part of my past out of my life so that I didn't have any of those memories associated with Josh. Then your Dad pushed his way back in and Josh was jealous but he trusted me and of course I would never cheat," Kate continues.

"What about the kiss!" Alexis asks her.

"You know about that? I, well, it wasn't planned and it was to save Ryan and Esposito," Kate defends.

"So you told him about it?" Alexis smirks.

"No. He wouldn't have understood and he already suspected that your Dad and I had some tension," Kate said embarrassed.

"I can see how this became a fairly tangled web," Alexis admits.

"I wanted to give Josh a chance, I really did like him but I needed to more than just like him. Even after he stopped going away constantly for doctors without borders I tried to invest more of myself because he had stayed, but, in the end it just wasn't right and he knew it too, it was obvious when I'd jump out of bed and chase down random leads with your Dad at a moment's notice," Kate sighed.

"Well, that explains a lot, but not why you and Dad have waited over a year until now to start 'working things out'," Alexis crosses her arms.

"You'd be good at interrogation. I guess your Dad just knew that I had a lot to work through, we both knew that we were waiting for a time when I didn't have the weight of the world on my shoulders but as has been clear over the last couple of days there is only so much self control two people in love can have –"

"Stop! I get it, no more, please!" Alexis begs.

"Oh no! I didn't mean, well I almost mean. I. Oh. I told you I wasn't good at this," Kate puts her head in her hands.

"It's fine, come on, let's go and eat, I can smell the food," Alexis smiles and leads them out of the bedroom.

"I'm sorry for making this completely awkward," Kate tells her, mortified.

"Forget about it, what matters most is that you would tell me all of that to prove that you've only taken the long way in loving Dad, that you've never meant to hurt him and that he has played as much a role in how this has unfolded as you have, now you can add snow storm to the list and be happy together," Alexis says cheerily, walking down the stairs.

"There are my two favourite ladies," Rick beams at them as they take their seats at the table.


	7. Couch Potatoes

_Characters are not mine. No copyright infringement is intended. _

"So, did you have a nice chat with Alexis?" Rick asked when they were sitting on the couch after dinner with some wine.

"Actually, I did. She was much more perceptive then I gave her credit for," Kate admits.

"I'm glad," Rick smiles, "They were saying on the news earlier that the snow should settle soon," he tells her.

"Oh? Well that's something," Kate replies.

"You're apartment won't have heat for at least another week though right?" He asks her hopefully.

"Unless Jerry calls saying the heat is fixed," Kate sighs.

"You really do want to go home, don't you?" Rick asks her disappointedly.

"Of course! Only if you will come with me though," she tells him in a sultry voice.

Rick perks up at this, "I like the way you think Detective," he grins.

"I thought you would, though really, you need to stop being so worried that I'm going to just disappear on you. I told you that I'm in this, we just shouldn't rush in, and certainly not where Alexis could walk in," she tells him.

"I know, I know, we've talked about this, I guess deep down I'm just worried that this is too good to be true," he looks at her honestly.

"I'm hoping it isn't. I know it's taken us a long time to get here, but you have to understand I haven't been distant or trying to just string you along. There were a lot of reservations about us that I had to work through," she admits.

"I understand that my past is a little colourful," he says bashfully.

"If we had rushed in before this became real, we would have missed out on something so much better than a quick fling," she sighs, touching his face and feeling light stubble.

"I'm glad we're not going to be missing out on that now," he tells her.

"Me too," she sighs and rests her head on his shoulder and they finish their wine in silence.

"We are kind of missing out though, don't you think?"

"Perhaps, but getting to know each other without crossing certain lines has definitely been interesting, and who knows? May be the anticipation will make our union that much more magical," Kate sighs.

"It has certainly been a long time coming," Rick agrees.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we took so long to get here, Rick," Kate tells him sadly.

"I'm sorry too, you can't believe that you're the only reason that we didn't get here sooner," he whispers back.

"I was never good at finding the right moment. I thought before the start of the summer last year, that we were going to have our moment but .."

"But Gina flew in at the last moment," Rick hangs his head.

"Yeah, something like that," Kate admits.

"I didn't know, back then. I thought, I really thought you and Demming were happy, I was bowing out for you," his worried eyes sort hers.

"And I really thought you were what I'd always thought you were, happy to move on to the next best thing," Kate whispers.

"How did you meet Josh?" He asks out of the blue.

Kate raises her eyes to find his, searching for why he wants to bring up hurt from the past. "I'll tell you everything, if you really want to know, Rick,".

"I want to hear about the summer from your point of view, just so we both know. Perhaps you think that it's besides the point but you know my need for the story and Josh was part of your journey to me," he tells her honestly.

"Well, when I first met Josh I'd been riding around the city on my motorcycle," Kate began.

"You really do have to give me a ride some time," Rick interrupts.

"I'd like that," Kate winks. "Now let me continue and stop interrupting," she smirks.

"So, as I said I was out on my bike, feeling pretty down still. I'd given into how I felt, I was emotionally raw, dumped a perfectly nice guy to follow my heart, gone out on limb; only to be left heart-broken," Kate sighs dramatically and looks over at Rick.

His shocked expression makes her giggle, and his face softens when he realises that although she is reliving pain, she has forgiven him.

Kate hesitates as she begins the next part, "I umm, I stopped for some gas, and I wasn't really paying attention to anyone so I didn't see him walk over. He asked if I was okay. I told him that of course I was okay, and I must have looked confused because he asked me why I was crying," Kate looks at Rick again.

"God, Kate, I...I don't know what to say, but I wish we could go back," he muttered disgusted with himself.

Kate grabs his hand and squeezes, "We can't go back, and I'm sorry if this is hard to hear, but you did ask for the story,".

"I know, I'm such a masochist," he looks up at the ceiling.

"Shall I continue?" She asks with some trepidation.

"Please," he requests.

"As soon as he mentioned the crying I wiped at my face and I was surprised that there were tears, I'd been so miserable that weekend it had become almost normal. I was embarrassed by that point but I finally got a good look at him and he looked friendly, kind. He asked if I would go and get a coffee across the street with him. I refused at first, I didn't feel like company but he smiled and said 'Trust me, I'm a doctor'. He was and is not exactly your opposite but at the time I needed to forget you and well, he made me forget," Kate finished as though she was ashamed of how that relationship had come about.

"So, your saying that he was a rebound?" Rick asked, hope in his voice.

"At first, but we didn't jump into anything deep right away. I think he knew, or at least understood that I was upset over someone, that I was getting over someone," Kate explains.

At Rick's raised eyebrow she continues, "He never knew that it was you, though I'm sure he had his suspicions. Things were going really well until you came back, that was when the boat rocked a little," Kate admits.

Kate looked as though she didn't really want to continue and looked to Rick giving him the opportunity to stop her, but he didn't.

"I let you win the bet. The one about staying at the precinct. That was when I knew I was in danger of getting stomped on all over again, but I couldn't help it, the energy we share, those moments when we just shine, I couldn't deal with feeling like that again even though I'd felt so betrayed by you before. It's not easy to stay mad at you and I hated that, I felt weak when you were around, knowing that I couldn't trust myself," she wiped a stray tear and took a moment.

"I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. That you still had feelings that you didn't want," Rick explains, feeling guilty.

"It wouldn't have mattered so much had I not been with Josh, I made it worse for myself by getting more serious with him, thinking that it would make the feelings I had for you go away, and at the same time I felt ill, ill that I was sleeping with a man I didn't truly love, and ill because it felt wrong. I may have been in his bed, but my heart wasn't, I truly had more fun working with you then I ever had messing around with him," Kate looked up again to see if she had gone too far, only to find Rick smiling at the thought.

"You're thinking of that mutual mental orgasm thing again, aren't you?" Kate asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't help it!" Rick replies in a fit of laughter. "God, just knowing he doesn't compare when we haven't even slept together yet is hilarious, it makes me feel much better, thank you,".

"Doesn't even come close, Rick," she smiles at him snuggling into his side.

"So now, the million dollar question, "When did you break up with him and why?" Rick asks.

"I broke up with him after our trip to L.A. When he found out that I'd gone there with you he was pissed off. I tried to explain about Royce and that you had followed me, to help me, so that I wouldn't be alone. He still wasn't happy. Wanted to know why I didn't tell him about it all when it happened why I didn't take him with me. Why it was always you that was there," she began.

"What did you say to that? Rick asks.

"I told him that you were always there because you are always there. That you know me better than anyone and the only way I wasn't going alone was if you followed without my permission. The difference was that you knew what I needed and you were there to give it to me," she replies.

"He didn't like that either I assume?" Rick asks.

"Dead on. He started ranting about what else you were giving me that he wasn't and things just sort of escalated from there. I certainly never felt as though I had done anything wrong. He didn't understand me, he didn't believe that I was faithful, even though I told him exactly where I had been and with whom. He didn't see that I was trying to dive in with him and once he started on about you, I'd had about enough".

"You stood up for me?" Rick questioned with a brilliant smile.

"Yes. It hurt to hear him put you down, once he realised that you had some standing in my life that he couldn't quite understand he hadn't been fond of you. At that point though, he was way out of line. Even though I did have feelings for you, I was faithful to him, I would never have cheated, though the thought did cross my mind in L.A when I'd forgotten myself a bit," she admits.

"Wait? What? You wanted to make a move in L.A?" He asks her curiously.

"When we were talking on the couch and things were getting a little too honest and I jumped up and left, I came back," she answered.

"I'd gone to my room..." Rick remembered.

"It was a good thing, trust me, nothing good comes from cheating. At the time though I hadn't even given Josh a thought, and that was what really scared me, that you had that kind of power over me. So, feeling a little guilty about what almost happened, which was no fault of yours, I immediately told Josh everything that had happened. Sadly, instead of comforting me about Royce or even asking any questions about what motivated a cross county trip he dug straight into us and I just, snapped," Kate shrugs and smiles at him.

"So, you dumped him?" Rick fished.

Kate smirked, "It was pretty mutual. He didn't trust me, and I didn't love him. I really liked him, but that's not enough,".

"I love you, Kate," Rick tells her.

"That's why this right here, is enough, I've never loved a man the way I love you," Kate hides her face in his neck.

"You really love me? Wow...I've waited a long time for you to know and believe that," he whispers.

"Always," she replies, and they hold each other tight.


	8. Acceptance and Arguments

It's funny how putting your feelings out in the open can seem like a really big step. Then you finally do it and instead of jumping right in Rick and Kate are sitting a metre apart waiting for each other to break the silence. Rick thinks he is too astonished by the fact that Kate loves him. It's not like they don't know what to do, it's just there seems to be rules. They have actually had an open conversation about their entire relationship. It's weird.

Kate knows Rick is in shock. He hasn't said anything since he admitted that he had been waiting for her to feel the same. They had been cuddling but when he got up for wine refills he never took up the spot next to Kate when he came back. She knows this is a moment to take in, it has certainly taken long enough. There are no secrets from him now. They're not really at a standstill but neither of them can help feeling that they shouldn't be this nerdy, after everything they've been through together. It's not like it should be difficult, not after they had both felt that heat; that passion.

"I'm sorry this has gotten awkward," Rick finally caves under the pressure and Kate smiles shyly.

"I think we both know that it's my fault that this has gotten awkward," Kate replies, unsure.

"How so?" Rick doesn't understand.

"Well, we are both pretty happy at the moment and if we were anywhere else we'd probably be hitting the honeymoon phase right now and instead we are sitting apart on you couch drinking wine trying to contain ourselves," Kate tells him exasperatedly.

When he doesn't reply, Kate turns towards him only to find that he is smirking like a fool.

"What?" She asks.

"You just basically admitted that if we were alone we'd be relentlessly going at it," his eyes lit up with joy and mischief.

"Yeah, well you're the one that doesn't seem to care whether or not he keeps it in his pants when his teenage daughter is around," Kate huffs.

"Hey, it's alright. I know how you feel about, well, about that. I don't particularly enjoy the idea of being overheard either. It's just, it's us. Everything else just fades away when I'm with you. If you hadn't kept us on the straight and narrow earlier I wasn't going to stop us, I was powerless," he tells her.

"You have a fantastic body," Kate sighs drifting away into the memory.

Rick's face looks like deer in the headlights at her offhand comment, but Kate doesn't seem to notice, he even thinks she is quietly reliving the memory.

"So hot," Rick mutters, watching her intently. He moves closer to her on the couch again so their thighs are touching enthralled by knowing exactly where her mind was.

His comment is enough to break the spell and Kate blushes furiously and is happily surprised by his closeness.

"We're doing it again," Rick says worriedly when they can't break their stares.

"But we haven't even. Oh. Yeah, I guess we need a time out," Kate replies, beginning to move away but stopped in her tracks by Rick.

"We are adults. We can be intimate without being, well, you know, without actually doing it," Rick says awkwardly.

"Doing it?" Kate smirks and rolls her eyes at his adolescent words, how _adult. _

"Help me out here," he cringes.

"I know what you are saying, Rick. It would be great if that would work. If we could cuddle up barely clothed, maybe make out a little bit, but we both know that we'd get lost, you've admitted as much. There is no way things wouldn't progress," Kate points out.

"Hmm, well, what if we waited. You know, until really late at night or early morning. Alexis would be in bed asleep. Our sleeping pattern is altered enough to permit it," he wriggles his eyebrows.

"As tempting as that is Mr Castle I think I am going to have to politely decline and move myself to your guest bedroom," Kate decides.

"What?!" Rick grabs hold of her as though she would disappear any minute.

"Would you stop looking so cute and sad. It's not forever, just until I can go back to my apartment. It isn't right for us to start our relationship like this. I'm not saying it wouldn't be special, I'm just saying I don't want to hold back, I don't want to be worried that we'll be overheard by Alexis, and I don't want to feel guilty for coming into her home and exposing that side of your life," Kate says, getting a little worked up.

"What? Are you laughing at me, Castle," Kate frowns.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just. It sounded like you were worried my daughter would know that we may be having sex. I thought we'd discussed all of this," he explains.

"I don't see how you aren't following," Kate responds.

"Kate, Alexis overhearing something she shouldn't is one thing. However, if you expect her to think that we aren't having sex when we really aren't having sex that isn't going to be something she'll take in. I know Alexis, and she doesn't want to know one way or the other, but if Alexis knows I love you and you've told her that you love me, she isn't going to think we are just cuddling," he smiles.

"I know you must think I am being silly, but I've never been in a relationship where a kid is involved," Kate tells him shyly.

"Look, don't worry about it. Alexis is basically and adult now anyway, it's no secret to her. This is different, you're not some one night stand, you're Kate, and we've known you a long time. You haven't just suddenly burst into our lives. Alexis will not think any less of you for realising that you and I make love," Rick attempts to persuade her.

"That's cute," Kate replies.

"What is?" he wonders.

"Making love, you said 'making love'," Kate tells him.

"I don't understand why you think I'm being cute. I was being quite literal. You and I wouldn't be having sex, we'd be making love to one another. It's completely different," he assures her.

Kate doesn't look like she really believes what he is saying, perhaps believing that he is just romanticising like he does in his novels.

"Oh, don't tell me this is another one of those, I don't believe in fate or Santa things," Rick moans.

"No, I understand what you mean, you say 'making love' because it means more to you then just simply having sex," Kate explains.

"Yes, that is true, but it is also a completely different experience," Rick replies.

"So you've made love before?" Kate asks.

"Nope," Rick smiles.

"Then, how?" Kate seems more than confused.

"I know already how different it will be with you, I'm feeling more than I've ever felt in my life and we haven't even properly felt each other up yet!" He declares.

"I guess when you put it like that it makes sense. I do love you, Rick. That true kind of love that makes everything a million times more painful. It's worth it though. It's one of life's great mysteries. I wasn't really aware of it straight away but now I can't even describe the way that I feel. It's like there is no end and no beginning, it just is. I think that's what makes this so scary, knowing that someone else has so much power over you. All those feelings of jealousy and abandonment and not knowing how someone really feels are horrible to go through, but I think without them you wouldn't know how you really felt. I'm glad that we don't have to feel that way anymore," she watches him.

"You're right. We don't have to feel that way anymore. We just get to love each other, what a gift," he takes her hand and squeezes it reassuringly and brings it to his lips.

"Actually, I am having some love hate feelings at the moment," Kate tells him.

"What? I thought you just said," Kate cuts him off.

"About the snow. I love that it brought us together the way that it has, but now it's keeping us apart," Kate sighs.

"I don't think that you and I are ever going to agree on this, but I do admire that you are trying to live up to whatever expectations you think Alexis has," Rick smiles and takes another sip of wine.

"I'm over thinking this," Kate chuckles.

"May be just a little, you know that you don't have to worry about Alexis's delicate sensibilities, she's a smart kid.

"Alright, we can compromise. We'll just go about things the same way we have been doing and we keep the rules," Kate decides.

"Well, I guess that is better than having you sleeping closer to Alexis than to me," Rick agrees.

"Shall we?" Kate beckons as she stands to move towards his bedroom.

"Oh, we shall," Rick wiggles his eyebrows.

"Really? Kate asks sarcastically, rolling her eyes turning and walking to his room without waiting for him.

"Yeah. This is going to be difficult," Rick sighs, taking their glasses to the kitchen sink and trailing after Kate.


End file.
